ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. file — a line of people
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fall — to drop
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fall — the season
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. file — a tool
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. file — a document
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pit — a hole
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com